“ Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. 41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.
44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” 48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”” Luke 7:40-50 NIV
Father Almighty,
Simon, not Simon the disciple but Simon the Pharisee. The religious leader who should have been setting an example of Godly behaviour. And an opportunity for Jesus to speak about the heart of Your heart. Worship and charity and forgiveness. Charity being the old fashioned meaning of giving love.
It is hard for those who do not feel they are so bad or and think sin is just about those who murder or rob banks. I am sure the Pharisee thought himself a good man. Hard for him to understand the depth of God’s love and forgiveness perhaps. I was so broken and messed up when I became a Christian, You God, centred on loving me before You explained the depth of my sin. Then You showed me how I had ignored You, not loved You, not trusted You or Your Son. Now I begin to understand the weeping woman and the depth of those words, ‘Your sins are forgiven’. All of them. The shameful ones, the long gone ones, the ones I have forgotten. The ones I trip up on even now. All forgiven. Stamped not guilty at the cross. And sometimes it is a fact I base my faith on and sometimes like the woman I am overwhelmed with gratitude. Faith and feelings! And sometimes I have to remind the enemy not to bring them to mind to make me feel bad. Sometimes we need Your Spirit to remind us and sometimes we need Scriptural facts (Colossians 2:13-14). That woman knew who You were. She knew what You could do. And Simon? I hope he saw beyond the words. And we too can see, know, and go in peace today and every day because of You.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Tuesday 28th October 2025
No appologies for having this again. It just says what I know and feel.
Wonderful grace that gives what I don’t deserve,
pays me what Christ has earned then lets me go free.
Wonderful grace that gives me the time to change,
washes away the stains that once covered me.
And all that I have I lay at the feet
of the wonderful Saviour who loves me.
Wonderful love that held in the face of death,
breathed in its final breath forgiveness for me.
Wonderful love whose power can break every chain
giving us life again setting us free.
And all that I have I lay at the feet
of the wonderful Saviour who loves me.
Lyrics: John Pantry